What age is hardest?

i know there is no right answer to this but i just wanted your opinions on what age is hardest as a mum between the ages of 0 - 5. im going back to uni after i have this baby to do my bachelor of science, my honours, and then my PhD once the child (and hopefully a second) has gone to school. basically i am working out my degree schedule now and am going to be doing either 2 or 3 papers each semester. ive looked after my sisters kids through my last degree and remember it being a bit of a handful, but i probably wont be working as much this time around which will make it a wee bit earlier. so what i am trying to figure out is which years should i put in more papers? any advice would be great thanks.

Newborns are pretty easy, they sleep lots. By the time they get to 2 or 3 they are pretty full on (well mine is anyway) and no chance of a break when they dont sleep anymore. Its a wee bit better with her now at Kindy in the afternoons but still not as easy as my youngest. Im assuming at 4 she'll be at kindy more and hopefully a bit more independant although I'm still a bit off that yet.

I finished the last year of my undergrad when Maya was a baby. I did three papers the first semester thru the Open Polytech then cross credited them back to my original degree and went on campus for the last semester and did another 4 papers. It wasn't too hard, altho she did go to campus daycare while I was studying on campus.

I definitely agree that newborns are easier than toddlers in terms of time demands. Thats assuming baby is fairly compliant tho - studying with baby Maya was a piece of cake but the first 3 mths with baby gremlins I was a complete write off for anything but just looking after them.

I would say the younger the easier too, if they're an average baby (what's that? ). Jack's just dropping down to one sleep now and I'm starting to realise life is going to get a lot more hectic soon (esp when we have #2).

yep 2 and 3 is pretty hard.

But I would be useless studying with a kid any age, lol!

I'll have to disagree.

I am finding 2 much much easier than 0 to 2 but that is because Elle was a dreadfully unsettled kid who cried and grizzled for her entire first year and beyond. She did the sleep thing for the first 2 weeks of her life and they WERE easy weeks but that stopped by the time she was 3 weeks. Now she is an absolute joy (with the usual toddler issues!) and I find her so much fun to be with. We don't get massive tantrums etc though so overall I find 2 to be the easiest and happiest stage yet.

I studied easy as whilst Neosha was a New Born even though I was sleep deprived and exhausted I was at home alot and she would wake up for feeds and be back down for a nap and my study intervals worked out great for me. NOW is a different story she is heading towards 2 and I am really struggling, she has PAFT, Music, Kids and Koffee, other coffee meetups and when we are at home cleaning, cooking and general organising has to be done so my study gets pushed into the evening. Also they are very demanding of your time and attention. Sometimes it's good if someone can take her for a whole day and then I just study without a break until she gets dropped back. I would do as much as I could while he/she was a baby.
I haven't even gotten to 2 yet! (But I must say this age is REALLY cute )

Puberty is the hardest! Mood Swings, sleeping all day, laziness. Toddlers are a walk in the park.

actaully, i have to agree with mel. Mr 16 is driving me to drink and very nearly the divorce courts.

20 months mate, I'm over the tantrums and fussy eating, waking of a night time. I think we're starting the terrible 2's early here

But on a nicer note, he can be an absolute angel when he wants to. Newborn - 8 months are DEFINITELY easier though. Make the most of it while it lasts I say